December 08, 2008

Picking the top boss

I've been working hard to get the inside scoop on the selection process. There's lots of juicy gossip, but here's what I can tell you:
The selection committee, made up of the mayor and four councillors, has boiled down more than 70 applications to two finalists. It was three, but last week an external candidate from an neighbouring municipality withdrew. There's lots of speculation about why he dropped out. He hasn't returned my phone call yet.

So today, council will debate in camera about two internal candidates, Scott Stewart, general manager of public works and Chris Murray, director of housing and former head of the Red Hill Valley Parkway project. What's interesting here is that Stewart (pictured above, on the right) outranks Murray, who has never been a general manager. But Murray is also widely regarded for his handling of the controversial expressway project.

I'm told council is divided about the decision. Surprise, surprise, this council is often divided on big decisions. I'll update you when I can.

Update: Well folks, council has picked the city manager, but I don't know who it is. They plan to release the name Wednesday night at council. I'm told they don't want to release it now because the person hasn't formally been offered or accepted the job. The mayor said he expects a unanimous decision at council...

Comments

I have a great way to pick a new manager, a race.
Starting on the mountain brow (so they can see where downtown Hamilton is) they get on their city bikes, race to cityhall, approve a rich payout bonus and then hit the showers.
The first person to be sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee, gets the job.

Good luck to whichever candidate gets the position. A tough job for sure. I would hope that a spirit of co-operation and mutual support between the city manager and council will be the order of the day.

just what we need another yes man down at city hall, of course the other 68 canidates werent qualified enough, they might be able to make some real desisions that the council dont want to here. like cutting spending to a trickle on special projects like the lister fiasco,city hall.
no sense hiring some real talent,
on the other hand they would probally just fire them if they really were doing their job properly anyway.
nothing will change just a new tax burden on the tax payers of hamilton.

Just another overpaid flunky, who will do nothing to help the people in this city that struggle.

But then the city managers are very good at taking away from those that struggle to take that money to put into the pockets of those that do not need it. But then they are entitled to their $100,000 plus salaries, perks, benefits and pensions, yet they step on the people every chance they get.

I would assume that both candidates are talented, and I wish whoever prevails, well.

Without taking anything away from either candidate, I am a little dissapointed that a selection was not made from outside the present cadre.

Sometimes, new blood and new ideas are what is needed. It seems that clear signals were sent that council was looking for someone who would follow the flow of the current strategy and approach, and not someone who would bring major transformational change to the city.

"Picking the top boss" I ponder what this means....Picking someone that can be manipulated, a new city manager that is a yes, yes person, rather than a manager that can truly manage the best interests of this City...There truly is a need for some one to manage, it certainly can be left up to council....they can't even decide whether they need a shower or a storage room to hide their dirty socks....`Perhaps it's time to Higher a competent "manager" and layoff Council off till the next election. This would provide some financial relief, considering the economy. Moreover, such may transcend into greater savings and build some harmony that may lead this City to discover that the life and quality of a City is based on securing long term sustainable jobs...decreasing the 30% and rising unemployed poor to 6%.
A City is judged not by sky scrapers, a new city hall but by the poverty it produces...the hustle and bustle has died, not because of dilapidated building but because it breeds poverty and dissension leaving hope outside the city boundaries....

Very venomous comments that are aimed at the wrong person which are a little disappointing and of very little value.

Both candidates are extremely talented and will do the best job possible with the City's interest at heart. Not everything is controlled by the City Manager. Perhaps this venom should be directed at those who hire and direct (or misdirect) the City Manager.

Nicole Macintyre

Nicole MacIntyre is the queen of kings. A married mother of two boys, including the world's former worst sleeper, she's also a reporter and parenting columnist at the Hamilton Spectator. A devotee of the 'whatever works' approach to child-rearing, Nicole has learned to never say "I'll never" when it comes to parenting.